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‘Sesame Street’ celebrates its 43rd birthday

Saturday marked the 43rd anniversary of Sesame Street‘s premiere on public broadcasting television stations. The program, which debuted on November 10, 1969, broke ground by being the first TV show of its kind to craft its content using laboratory and formative research.
Over four decades later, the show continues to be successful, in large part due to its evolution as children (and the world in which they grow up) have changed.

During the 2012 presidential race, Sesame Street acquired additional relevance after Republican candidate Mitt Romney declared his approval for Big Bird but promised to cut funding to public broadcasting. The remark made the show into something like a political symbol in the weeks leading up to the election.

A woman dressed as Sesame Street’s Big Bird greets U.S. President Barack Obama during a campaign rally in Denver. After Republican challenger Mitt Romney pledged to stop the U.S. subsidy for the Public Broadcasting Service despite his professed love for Big Bird, the Sesame Street character became a symbol for Obama’s supporters. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)

U.S. President Barack Obama gets a hug from a woman dressed as Sesame Street’s Big Bird during a campaign rally in Denver. After Republican challenger Mitt Romney pledged to stop the U.S. subsidy for the Public Broadcasting Service despite his professed love for Big Bird, the Sesame Street character became a symbol for Obama’s supporters. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)

Two people, dressed in knockoff Elmo costumes, wait to pose for pictures with tourists in Times Square in October 2012. The number of costumed Muppets in New York got more attention after Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney mentioned Sesame Street in a debate. (Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images)

Sesame Street’s Big Bird balloon gets close to people looking out their apartment windows on New York’s Central Park West during the 76th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. The original Big Bird balloon debuted in 1988, and a new one was designed in 2001. (Jeff Christensen/Reuters)

Protestors with puppets walk in the Million Muppet March in support of federal funding for public television, in Washington, November 3, 2012. The rally was held to support federal funding for public television after Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney pledged to end the U.S. federal government’s subsidy for the Public Broadcasting Service despite his professed love for Big Bird. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)

A man wears a costume of Sesame Street character Big Bird and a mask of U.S. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney while holding a sign in support of U.S. President Barack Obama during the “Million Puppet March.” Several hundred supporters of U.S. public broadcasting held a good-humored protest prompted by Romney’s threat, in a televised debate, to halt government funding to public media. (Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images)

A woman wearing a costume of Sesame Street character Big Bird holds a sign in support of public broadcasting during the “Million Puppet March” in Washington, D.C. on Nov. 3, 2012. Several hundred supporters of U.S. public broadcasting held a good-humored protest prompted by Republican presidential candidate Mit Romney’s threat, in a televised debate, to halt government funding to public media. (Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images)

Protestors with a “Vote Obama” sign walk during the Million Muppet March in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 3, 2012. The rally was held to support federal funding for public television after Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney pledged to end the U.S. federal government’s subsidy for the Public Broadcasting Service despite his professed love for Big Bird. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)

Steven Lauridsen spoofs comments made by U.S. presidential candidate Mitt Romney regarding the “Sesame Street” character Big Bird as he parades on Santa Monica Blvd. during annual Halloween Carnaval in West Hollywood, California. (Robyn Beck/AFP Photo)

Sesame Street Live characters Ernie, Bert, Elmo, Abby Cadabby, Zoe and Cookie Monster celebrate the renaming of a corner in New York to “Sesame Street.” (Stan Honda/AFP/Getty Images)

With Sesame Street Live playing Madison Square Garden in New York, a temporary sign was put up briefly in 2010 renaming the corner of 31st Street and Eighth Avenue to “123 Sesame Street. (Stan Honda/AFP/Getty Images)

In 2006, the Sesame Street team added Abby Cadabby to the cast as a way to introduce a prominent female character into the show. (Richard Termine/Sesame Street/Handout photo)

Sesame Street characters pose under a “123 Sesame Street” sign in Dante Park in New York City. To honor the program’s 40th anniversary, a street near the park was temporarily renamed. (Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images)

Cippora Harris, left, kisses Sesame Street puppet character Murray on the eve of the 40th anniversary of the first broadcast of the children’s television show. A temporary “Sesame Street” street sign was unveiled on West 64th Street and Broadway, across the street from Sesame Workshop’s corporate headquarters. (Stan Honda/AFP/Getty Images)

Dundalk native Kevin Clash, the puppeteer and voice of Sesame Street’s Elmo, sits for a portrait with his daughter Shannon Clash, 14, of Arbutus while visiting the Catonsville library in 2007. Clash, who discussed his book “My Life as a Furry Red Monster: What Being Elmo Has Taught Me About Life, Love, and Laughing Out Loud.,” has been a puppeteer for Sesame Street since 1984. (Justin Kase/Baltimore Sun Media Group)

Oblivious to the excitement, 18-month-old Logan Haerian of Cockeysville sleeps on his mother’s shoulder while a photograph of him is taken alongside Elmo and puppeteer Kevin Clash. (Justin Kase/Baltimore Sun Media Group)

Kevin Clash, who grew up in Turner’s Station in Baltimore County, is the puppeteer behind Sesame Street’s Elmo. Clash and Elmo visited students at Brehms Lane Elementary School in Baltimore in 2007 to encourage students to follow their dreams in career choices. (Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore Sun Photo)

In one of four Sesame Street episodes airing in response to September 11th, New York City firefighters comforted a frightened Elmo after he witnessed a fire in Hooper’s Store. The firefighters invite Elmo to their fire station, where he learns more about what they do. (Richard Termine/Sesame Workshop/Handout photo)

Sesame Street character Zoe stops for a photo opportunity on the set. Zoe was introduced in the show’s 25th season (1993), as a complement for Elmo and to help balance out a predominantly male Muppet cast. (Richard Termine/CTW/Handout)

With his cherished blue blanket at his side, Sesame Street’s lovable monster Elmo makes his feature film debut in “The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland.” The movie was Sesame Street’s second feature-length film after 1985’s “Sesame Street Presents Follow That Bird.” (James Bridges/Handout)

Grover, who officially debuted in Sesame Street’s second season, poses with a street sign on the television program’s set. This photo was released prior to the show’s 28th season on PBS. Among the guests who stopped by the block: Rosie O’Donnell, Hootie and the Blowfish, Melissa Etheridge, and Jason Alexander. (Richard Termine/CTW/Handout)

Children’s television program “Sesame Street” celebrated 25 years of a “Sunny Day” in 1994 and introduced several new characters. Returning familiar faces at the time included, from left, Cookie Monster. Prairie Dawn, Ernie, Elmo, Bert, and Grover. (Richard Termine/Handout photo)

Several Sesame Street Muppets, including Cookie Monster, Bert, Ernie, Elmo, pose for a photo released in 1999. (Handout photo courtesy of CTV)

Emeril Lagasse and Sesame Street character Elmo cook up some tasty treats on “Elmo’s Magic Cookbook,” a program that ran on the Food Network in 2001. (Richard Tremine/Handout photo)

Sesame Street characters pose during a production of Sesame Street Live’s “Everyone Makes Music,” which premiered in 2001. (Handout photo)

The Muppets and actors of Sesame Street pose for a photo on the set prior to the beginning of their 25th season. (Handout photo)

Ted Koppel, the host of ABC News’ Nightline program, high fives Sesame Street (and The Muppet Show) character Kermit the Frog during the taping of Larry King Live. Kermit filled in for Larry King as host of the show as an April Fools Day joke. (Sam Kittner/Reuters)

Prior to rehearsal of Sesame Street, puppeteer Kevin Clash, a Baltimore County native, discusses a script with other members of production at Kaufman-Astoria Studios. (Chien-chi Chang/Baltimore Sun file photo)

President-elect Bill Clinton, left, looks on as Sesame Street and the Muppets’ Kermit the Frog sings on his wife Hillary’s shoulder at an event at the Kennedy Center. At right is actress Markie Post. (Win McNamee/Reuters/File photo)

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